lany

2018 was easily the best year for music since I started doing my “Favorites” lists a few years ago. Hip hop certainly dominated my Spotify plays, but a certain Texas soul singer earned the prestigious honors of “Allen Echo’s #1 Song and Album”: Mr. Leon Bridges.

When Bridges dropped his stellar debut album “Coming Home” in 2016, I wondered how far he could realistically get performing just (phenomenal) 60’s style soul music. Would he transition to a more modern sound? If so, would it ruin his brand? The answers were a resounding yes and no. His 2018 sophomore album “Good Thing” kept his soul roots while expanding his sound in a more modern and diverse direction. It’s catchy, fun, heartfelt, and has absolutely no filler or skippable tracks. In a year where my favorite rapper dropped TWO phenomenal solo projects, “Good Thing” is still my favorite album, by far. It’s that good.

Here are my top 25 albums and top 50 songs of the year. As always, these are ranked by my personal enjoyment. I am not a music critic.

My Favorite Albums

Leon Bridges – Good Thing

Black Thought & Salaam Remi – Streams of Thought Vol. 2

Kendrick Lamar Etc. – Black Panther Soundtrack

J.I.D. – Dicaprio 2

Post Malone – beerbongs & bentleys

Pusha T – DAYTONA

Lupe Fiasco – DROGAS WAVE

Black Thought & 9th Wonder – Streams of Thought Vol. 1

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – Tearing at the Seams

The 1975 – A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships

Anderson Paak – Oxnard

Mac Miller – Swimming

LANY – Malibu

Bas – Milky Way

Jay Rock – Redemption

Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap

Travis Scott – Astroworld

Thirty Seconds to Mars – AMERICA

The Carters – EVERYTHING IS LOVE

Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer

James Bay – Electric Light

SAINt JHN – Collection ONE

Vince Staples – FM!

Young the Giant – Mirror Master

Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour

My Favorite Songs

Leon Bridges – Beyond

Leon Bridges – Georgia to Texas

Lupe Fiasco – Manilla

The 1975 – Love It If We Made It

Gallant feat. ASAP Ferg – Doesn’t Matter

Travis Scott feat. Drake – SICKO MODE

Anderson Paak – Bubblin

Black Thought & 9th Wonder – 9th vs Thought

Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, 2 Chainz & Saudi – X

J.I.D – 151 Rum

Janelle Monae – I Like That

Mac Miller – Self Care

James Bay – Wild Love

Anderson Paak feat. Q-Tip – Cheers

Anderson Paak feat. Kendrick Lamar – Tints

Lupe Fiasco – WAV Files

Janelle Monae – Make Me Feel

BlocBoyJB & Drake – Look Alive

Post Malone – Better Now

John Legend – A Good Night

The 1975 – It’s Not Worth Living (If It’s Not With You)

Kendrick Lamar & SZA – All The Stars

The Carters – APESHIT

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – You Worry Me

Drake – Nice For What

SAINt JHN – Lust

Pusha T – If You Know You Know

Nipsey Hussle – Hussle & Motivate

Jay Rock feat. J. Cole – OSOM

Khalid – Better

Pusha T – Santeria

James Bay – Us

Thirty Seconds to Mars feat. Halsey – Love Is Madness

Lupe Fiasco feat. Nikki Jean – Haile Selass

Allen Rayman – Rose

Anderson Paak feat. Snoog Dogg – Anywhere

Mac Miller – Come Back To Earth

Black Thought – Long Liveth

Black Thought – Soundtrack to Confusion

J.I.D. – Slick Talk

Leon Bridges – If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)

LANY – I Don’t Wanna Love You Anymore

Bruno Mars feat. Gucci Mane & Kodak Black – Wake Up In The Sky

Bas – Fragrance

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – Hey Mama

Jay Rock – Rotation 112th

Pusha T – The Games We Play

Nipsey Hussle feat. Buddy – Status Symbol 3

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – A Little Honey

Mac Miller – Ladders

Allen Echo’s Blog

My name is Allen Echo. I am a hip hop artist that has thoughts about things. Thanks for reading.